The second semi final of the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026 witnessed a high intensity all Asian clash as India Under 19 faced Afghanistan Under 19 at the Harare Sports Club. With a place in the final at stake, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first, aiming to post a challenging total against an unbeaten Indian side.
Afghanistan’s innings began on a positive note as openers Osman Sadat and Khalid Ahmadzai showed composure and intent. The pair stitched together a 53 run opening partnership, providing a steady platform and countering India’s disciplined bowling attack. Their approach ensured Afghanistan avoided early setbacks, which have often troubled teams in high pressure knockout games.
India found their first breakthrough when Deepesh dismissed one of the openers, followed soon by Kanishk Chouhan removing the other. Despite losing both openers, Afghanistan maintained momentum through Faisal Khan, who walked in at number three and played a confident knock. Faisal rotated the strike well and punished loose deliveries, reaching his half century in just 49 balls. His innings played a crucial role in keeping Afghanistan on track for a strong total.
The Afghan middle order looked determined to capitalise on the solid start, with support coming from players like Uzairullah Niazai and Aziz Mia Khil. Their focus remained on building partnerships and keeping the scoreboard ticking, knowing that a competitive total would put pressure on a strong Indian batting line up.
India entered the semi final with an unchanged playing eleven, reflecting the confidence of a side that has dominated the tournament. Led by captain Ayush Mhatre, the Indian team has remained unbeaten throughout the competition. India are playing their 12th U19 World Cup semi final and are aiming to reach a record 10th final, having featured in each of the last five championship matches.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, are playing only their third U19 World Cup semi final. Having fallen short at this stage in 2018 and 2022, the team is determined to make history by reaching their first final. Their campaign has been impressive, with four wins from five matches, highlighting their growing strength in youth cricket.
The winner of this semi final will face England in the final. England booked their place by defeating Australia in the first semi final at Bulawayo in a closely fought contest.
As the match progressed, India’s bowlers continued to search for breakthroughs, aware that restricting Afghanistan to a manageable total would be key. With Faisal’s half century setting the tone, Afghanistan looked well placed to challenge India’s bid for yet another U19 World Cup final appearance.
